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FSU Extends Bowl Streak Amid Mediocre Season

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Excuse Florida State if its celebration for setting a record for consecutive bowl appearances is a bit muted.

No one in Tallahassee is happy about the way this season turned out, not with the Seminoles’ hopes for making the College Football Playoff dashed by October, coach Jimbo Fisher bolting last week and having to win a rescheduled game against Louisiana-Monroe just to achieve the requisite six victories for bowl eligibility.

Interim Head Coach Odell Haggins of the Florida State Seminoles gets a Powerade Bath from his players after the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on December 2, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State defeated Louisiana Monroe 42 to 10. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

The Seminoles’ game against Southern Mississippi (8-4) in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Dec. 27, will mark their 36th straight bowl. FSU broke its tie with Nebraska, which went to 35 bowls from 1969-2003.

The NCAA record book recognizes only Nebraska as the record-holder. That’s because Florida State vacated its 2006 Emerald Bowl win over UCLA, among 12 football wins vacated in 2006-07 as punishment for an academic fraud scandal. However, the game was played, and UCLA counts it as a loss in its media guide.

The Seminoles started 1-3 but closed the regular season on a three-game win streak in which they’ve outscored opponents 157-38, including Saturday’s 42-10 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

“We are honored to be playing in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl and representing Florida State University in Shreveport,” interim head coach Odell Haggins said in a statement. “We are happy to extend our bowl streak that means so much to everyone associated with the program.

“We are excited for what our team has accomplished this season, including our fifth straight win over Florida for the first time in program history. This is all about our players, and I’m thankful to FSU President John Thrasher and Vice President/Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox for allowing me this opportunity to lead our team into the bowl game.”